


He's Like The Sun

by pensversusswords



Category: Check Please! (Webcomic)
Genre: Engagement, Established Relationship, Fluff, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-06
Updated: 2016-08-06
Packaged: 2018-07-29 19:53:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,272
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7697419
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pensversusswords/pseuds/pensversusswords
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"I care about making you proud and being happy with you. I care about living a life that I chose myself… and that’s you. I choose you, Bits.”</p><p>Bitty makes a quiet, choked off noise at that, his fingers tightening slightly where they're woven into Jack’s hair. </p><p>“Plus,” Jack continues, grinning at Bitty, “I’d be honoured to carry a little bit of you everywhere I go.”</p>
            </blockquote>





	He's Like The Sun

Jack finally manages to bring it up a few weeks before the wedding.

He’s been trying to work up the nerve to talk to Bitty about it for months now, but every time he opens his mouth to say it, the words get lost before he can actually say them. At the back of his mind,  _what if he says no?_  runs through his consciousness like a mantra. 

He knows that he needs to talk to Bitty about it now, though.

They’re laying in bed, Bitty curled up against his side with his face resting on Jack’s chest, his phone clutched between his hands as he scrolls through… twitter? No, it doesn’t look like twitter… maybe it’s pinterest; Jack knows that sometimes Bitty looks at recipes on there. Jack isn’t really sure, considering he’s pretty distracted, pretending to read a book about WWII, and hoping that Bitty can’t hear his heart trying to beat out of his chest. 

Jack has to do this. 

He takes in a deep breath and lowers the book onto his lap. “Bits?”

“Mmm, yeah honey?” Bitty says distractedly. His eyes are still on his phone, but he snuggles in closer at the sound of Jack’s voice. 

 _Just dive in,_ Jack tells himself.

“Would you be okay with me taking your last name?”

Miraculously, he manages to say it smoothly, his voice unfaltering and clear, despite the chaos that is swirling in his chest. 

Bitty freezes. Jack waits nervously as closes his phone, drops it on the bedspread beside him, and shuffles into a seated position. He settles when he’s sitting cross legged and facing Jack, staring at him with wide, surprised eyes. 

“Jack, sweetheart…” he breathes. “What–”

“I’ve thought about it,” Jack blurts out. “I thought about it a lot.”

Bitty smiles at that, and reaches out to cup the side of Jack’s face in the palm of his hand. His thumb brushes lightly against his cheek; the tender and familiar touch sends a pleasant thrill up Jack’s spine. “I wouldn’t expect anything else from you, Jack.”

Jack fights the urge to lean into Bitty’s hand and lose himself in his warmth. He needs to stay focused and say everything he’s been rehearsing in his head for the past few months. It’s _important_. 

“I won’t do it if you don’t want me to,” Jack says. “But I really, really do. I want to.”

Bitty is smiling at him still, the corners of his mouth turned up in a familiar smile, and his eyes are soft and happy as he assesses Jack. He looks hesitant, though, his gaze searching Jack as if he’s still trying to figure out what’s going on. 

“I never said I don’t want you to, honey,” Bitty says quietly. “I’m just… I’m surprised is all. I didn’t know you wanted to. It’s a big deal, Jack.”

“I know.”

“Lord knows I love my family to bits, but Jack, you’ve got so much more riding on your name. Why do you want to take mine? You’re a  _Zimmermann,_  for goodness sake.”

“And you’re a Bittle.” Jack says matter-of-factly.

Bitty rolls his eyes fondly. “Yes, I am aware.”

Jack laughs softly and scoots closer to Bitty, putting his hands on Bitty’s hips and drawing him in a little bit closer. Now that Bitty seems to be reacting positively to Jack’s question–albeit surprised and confused–Jack feels himself relaxing a little bit, and he really wants Bitty in his arms right now. 

As if sensing what Jack wants, Bitty follows the guidance of Jacks hands until he ends up sitting in Jack’s lap, chest to chest, his arms looped around Jack’s neck. One of his hands immediately goes to Jack’s hair, fingers running across his scalp in a familiar rhythm. 

Jack tips his head back and closes his eyes for a moment, enjoying the sensation, before continuing his explanation. 

“I love my parents,” Jack says, opening his eyes to hold Bitty’s gaze. Bitty is watching him patiently, his expression soft and encouraging as he waits for Jack to explain. Jack appreciates it; even though talking about his feelings has never been an area he’s excelled at, Bitty always manages to make it a little bit easier. 

“I love them so much, and I appreciate everything that they’ve given to me,” Jack continues. “They’ve supported me and encouraged me and so much of who I am is thanks to them. I’m lucky to have them.”

He takes in a deep breath and thinks about what he’s rehearsed in his mind a million times before. “But you’re right. I  _am_  a Zimmermann. I love being a Zimmermann, I’m proud to have my parents be a part of me, but at the same time, my name has always been a shadow over my head. My whole life, it’s been something I’ve felt pressure to live up to. I’ve been watched and judged because of my name for my whole life, and even now I still feel it hovering over me. Pushing me to be better because of this… this fear that I’m not good enough.”

Jack smiles at Bitty, squeezing lightly where he has his hands resting on his hips. “I never had a choice in being a Zimmermann,” Jack admits quietly, “but I do have a choice about being a Bittle. I want to take your name because I love you, and because I don’t want to live up to the expectations of the media, or my dad’s fans, or anyone else. I don’t care about them. I care about making you proud and being happy with you. I care about living a life that I chose myself… and that’s you. I choose you, Bits.”

Bitty makes a quiet, choked off noise at that, his finger tightening slightly where they're woven into Jack’s hair. 

“Plus,” Jack continues, grinning at Bitty, “I’d be honoured to carry a little bit of you everywhere I go.”

About halfway through Jack’s little speech, Bitty had started crying quietly. His eyes are wet with tears and his cheeks are damp, but he’s smiling at Jack so brightly. He’s like the sun, his smile rays of sunlight that warm Jack through and through. 

Jack is still nervous, but Bitty is in his arms and he was looking at Jack like he’s the only thing in the world that he cares about in that moment, so it’s okay. He tells himself that this is going to be okay. 

“I love you so much,” Bitty whispers. He tips his head forward and rests his forehead against Jack’s. 

Jack holds him so, so tightly. He never wants to let go. 

“Jack Bittle has a nice ring to it,” Bitty says. He frowns then, which might have worried Jack if it weren’t for the fact that the corner of his mouth is currently quirked up in a faint, teasing grin. “You’re going to have some unhappy fans who bought Jack Zimmermann jerseys, though.”

Jack shrugs. “They can deal with it. Is that a yes?”

Bitty laughs, pulls away and presses his hands to either side of Jack’s face. “Of course it’s a yes, sweetheart. Jack, of  _course_. I–”

Jack catches the end of Bitty’s sentence between their lips as he leans in and kisses him, smiling against Bitty’s mouth. Bitty’s laughing; the sound is so sweet and happy, and Jack thinks idly that wants to hear that laugh for the rest of forever. He might say that out loud, but he isn’t sure, because all that he can focus on in that moment is Bitty’s lips against his own, and Bitty’s laughter gentle and perfect in his ears.

 

**Author's Note:**

> Come join me on [tumblr](http://pensversusswords.tumblr.com/)!


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